Fashion doesn’t always need to shout to make a radical statement; sometimes its power lies in sharp precision, decisive instinct, and intentional friction. For designer Fabio Alecu, his graduate collection ‘UN-BLOCK’ is a minimalist, hyper-focused study in structure, technicality, and what he calls “joy within discomfort.”
Refusing to design purely for the sake of the fashion machine, Fabio prioritises the integrity of the product above all else. His design process is a masterclass in balance, taking classical tailoring fabrics and radically enhancing their performance with sleek, technical materials. Rather than merely absorbing Berlin’s existing aesthetic cues, Fabio actively searches for what the city is missing, carving out a visual space defined by posture, control, and an intentional touch of chaos.
Guided by rapid decision-making and a drive to connect forgotten heritage with bleeding-edge innovation, Fabio’s pieces took on a powerful, functional life as they stepped onto the runway at ZK/U—proving that high-concept craft can translate seamlessly into real, wearable presence.
Essential Milk & Structured Chaos: Step Into the Universe of Fabio Alecu
Read on as we talk to Fabio about breaking creative blocks under tight deadlines, the philosophy of making good products first, and why his design DNA translates into pure milk ice cream – essential, foundational, with ever-changing potential.
What was your approach to choosing your materials, and how did working with those specific textiles or textures impact your design process?
I was looking for new materials with a technical feel, and very classical materials at the same time. Partly changing them to enhance certain features.
How do your personal background, heritage, or the environments you’ve lived in manifest in the details of your designs?
I want structure, standing, and a little bit of chaos.
Looking back at your time as a fashion student at Weissensee, what was the most valuable lesson—or perhaps the most unexpected challenge—that shaped your identity as a designer?
How to make decisions, what the right path is, and how to act quickly.
Berlin has a very distinct subcultural and creative energy. In what ways, if any, did the city’s landscape or community influence your graduate work?
I’m looking for what I don’t see or find here
Many collections today engage with contemporary cultural, political, or ecological themes. How do you view your role and responsibility as a designer entering the industry right now?
I want to make good products first. Not produce solely for the sake of fashion.
Your collection showcases a balance between conceptual thinking and technical craftsmanship. How did you navigate the space between free experimentation and practical execution?
Deadlines make you decide and act.
Seeing your work transition from the studio into the specific architecture and energy of yesterday’s show at ZK/U, how did that moment feel, and did it change how you view your own pieces?
I can imagine more people actually wearing it, which is a nice acknowledgement.
What kind of dialogue or emotional reaction do you hope to trigger in the person viewing or wearing your garments?
Joy within discomfort.
Now that the graduate show is behind you, what aspects of your creative practice or design philosophy are you most excited to explore next?
What appears to be long lost and maybe forgotten, and what is so new that barely anyone is aware yet?
If your collection or creative identity could be translated into an ice cream flavour, what would it be and why?
Milk. It feels essential but has ever-changing potential.
Follow: @youngpeppermint
Anita Schulte-Bunert – Runway Photography @nit.sb
CREATIVE & MOVEMENT DIRECTORS
Sarah Ama Duah @sarah_ama_duah
Madlen Schmid
PRODUCTION DIRECTORS
Doreen Schulz
Madeleine Madej
CASTING DIRECTOR
Madlen Schmid
STYLIST
Tabassom Charaf @tabicharaf
MAKE-UP ARTISTS
Head of Make-Up Artists: Feride Uslu @feride_uslu11 für airbeauty.com @ferideairbeauty
Dominika Obacz @dominica_obacz
Mert Kenger @mertkenger
Sarah Elisa Fischer
Sarah Ort
HAIR ARTISTS
Nicole Puzalowski
Béanne Da Costa @hairtouchedby
Jennifer Ohia @mmynd.irl @5.minah
Special thanks to our partners
Bezirksamt Mitte
ZK/U Zentrum für Kunst und Urbanistik @zku.berlin
Objets Trouvés Möbelmanufaktur @objets.trouves.berlin
uns* Model Agency @wirsinduns
VIVA Model Agency @vivamodelsberlin
The event is supported by the Economic Development Office of Berlin’s Mitte District Council in cooperation with PLATTE.Berlin, which is responsible for guest management and PR @platte.berlin
